Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chamailler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chamailler. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb “chamailler” is “to bicker” or “to squabble.” The infinitive form “chamailler” is pronounced as “sha-ma-yay.”

The word “chamailler” originated from the Old French word “chamaillier,” which comes from the Late Latin term “camaliare” meaning “to wrangle.” It is commonly used in everyday French to describe arguments, disputes, or playful fights between two or more people, especially siblings or close friends.

Here are three examples of “chamailler” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Mes frères se chamaillaient tout le temps quand nous étions jeunes.
    (My brothers used to bicker all the time when we were young.)

  2. Les enfants se chamaillaient pour savoir qui allait jouer avec le jouet.
    (The children were bickering over who would play with the toy.)

  3. Pendant le voyage en voiture, mes amis se chamaillaient pour choisir la musique.
    (During the car trip, my friends used to squabble over choosing the music.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, providing background information or setting the scene.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chamailler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chamaillais Je chamaillais avec mon frère. I used to argue with my brother.
tu chamaillais Tu chamaillais souvent avec tes amis. You used to argue often with your friends.
il chamaillait Il chamaillait avec sa sœur. He used to argue with his sister.
elle chamaillait Elle chamaillait avec son voisin. She used to argue with her neighbor.
on chamaillait On chamaillait tout le temps. We used to argue all the time.
nous chamaillions Nous chamaillions pendant notre enfance. We used to argue during our childhood.
vous chamailliez Vous chamailliez pour des broutilles. You used to argue over trivial things.
ils chamaillaient Ils chamaillaient sans cesse. They used to argue constantly.
elles chamaillaient Elles chamaillaient dans la cour de récréation. They used to argue in the playground.

Other Conjugations for Chamailler.

Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler (You’re reading it right now!)

Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamailler

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Chamailler – About the French Imparfait Tense

The French imparfait tense, often called the imperfect tense in English, is used to describe actions or states in the past. It’s primarily used to provide background information, set the scene, or describe habitual or ongoing actions in the past.

NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see our article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation of the Imparfait Tense

To form the imparfait tense in French, you typically take the present tense nous form of the verb, drop the -ons ending, and add specific endings based on the verb group (regular -er, -ir, -re verbs) or use irregular forms for certain verbs.  

For regular -er verbs:

Take the infinitive form (e.g., parler, finir, rendre) Remove the -er ending Add the imparfait endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient 

For regular -ir verbs

Take the infinitive form (e.g., choisir, grandir, finir) Remove the -ir ending Add the imparfait endings: -issais, -issais, -issait, -issions, -issiez, -issaient 

For regular -re verbs

Take the infinitive form (e.g., vendre, attendre, entendre) Remove the -re ending Add the imparfait endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

Description of Past Habits

The imparfait is often used to describe habitual actions or situations in the past. For example: “Quand j’étais enfant, je jouais au football tous les jours.” (When I was a child, I used to play football every day.) 

Background Information

It’s used to provide background information or set the stage for a main event in the past. For instance: “Il faisait beau ce jour-là.” (The weather was nice that day.) 

Mental and Emotional States

It’s employed to express emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations in the past. For example: “J’étais content quand il est arrivé.” (I was happy when he arrived.) 

Ongoing Actions

The imparfait describes actions that were in progress or happening when something else occurred in the past. For instance: “Je lisais un livre quand le téléphone a sonné.” (I was reading a book when the phone rang.)

Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense

Passé Composé vs. Imparfait

The imparfait and passé composé (a compound past tense) are often used together to express the completion of an action in the past (passé composé) and provide context or background (imparfait). For example: “Il regardait la télévision quand son ami est arrivé.” (He was watching TV when his friend arrived.) 

Conditional

The imparfait is used as the base for forming the conditional mood in French. For instance, “Je mangerais” (I would eat) is formed from “je mangeais” (I was eating). 

Si Clauses

In hypothetical or “if” clauses (si clauses), the imparfait is often used to express a condition in the past. For example: “Si j’avais de l’argent, j’achèterais une nouvelle voiture.” (If I had money, I would buy a new car.) 

Narration

In storytelling or writing, the imparfait is frequently used to set the scene and describe ongoing actions while the passé composé is used for specific events or actions that interrupted the ongoing ones.
Understanding the French imperfect tense is crucial for effective communication in French. Without it, your conversations will always live in the present!

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb chamailler. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!

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